85R2437 KKR-F
 
  By: Minjarez, Bernal, Thierry, H.B. No. 132
      Rodriguez of Bexar, Keough, et al.
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the ability of certain relative caretakers of dependent
  children to receive supplemental financial assistance and be
  assigned as protective payees for financial assistance payments.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 31.0041(a), Human Resources Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  To the extent funds are appropriated for this purpose,
  the commission may provide supplemental financial assistance in
  addition to the amount of financial assistance granted for the
  support of a dependent child under Section 31.003 to a person who:
               (1)  is 25 [45] years of age or older;
               (2)  is the grandparent, aunt, uncle, sister, or
  brother of the dependent child, as defined by Section 31.002, who
  lives at the person's residence;
               (3)  is the primary caretaker of the dependent child;
               (4)  has a family income that is at or below 200 percent
  of the federal poverty level; and
               (5)  does not have resources that exceed the amount
  allowed for financial assistance under this chapter.
         SECTION 2.  Section 31.0324, Human Resources Code, is
  amended by amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsection
  (d) to read as follows:
         (b)  The executive commissioner by rule shall develop and the
  commission shall implement a process that provides for the
  grandparent, aunt, uncle, sister, or brother of a child receiving
  financial assistance under this chapter to serve as a protective
  payee to:
               (1)  receive and use the assistance on behalf of the
  child; and
               (2)  apply for financial assistance and be interviewed
  instead of the child's parent at any subsequent review of
  eligibility required by the commission.
         (c)  The commission shall  limit the use of the process
  established by Subsection (b) to situations in which the commission
  determines the parent is not using the assistance for the child's
  needs as required by Section 31.0355(a), and the executive
  commissioner shall establish by rule the circumstances under which
  the grandparent, aunt, uncle, sister, or brother may be removed as a
  protective payee.
         (d)  To serve as a protective payee of a child receiving
  financial assistance under this chapter, a person described by
  Subsection (b) must be at least 25 years of age.
         SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act apply to a
  person receiving financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human
  Resources Code, on or after the effective date of this Act,
  regardless of the date on which eligibility for the financial
  assistance was determined.
         SECTION 4.  If before implementing any provision of this Act
  a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
  federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
  the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
  authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
  waiver or authorization is granted.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.